Rotary electric engine



Nov. 13, 1928.

' 1,691,853 E.r M. MOLLE-r1' noun ELECTRICv ENGINE i Filed Dec. 22. 1927 s smeg-sheet 1Y E E \D 3 N E E E E/ u z E au *Si jij I." r w i f/ "i 'd 9;` f@ '\\Z;A s

l l EQ E l l l 3 N L INVENTOR.

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. E. M. MOLLETT ROTARY ELECTRIC ENGINE ,Filed Dec.22, 1927 :s sheen-sheet 2,

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E. MQ MOLLETT ROTARY ELECTRIC ENGINE A Filed Dec. 22, 1927l 3 Shevets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. EPFOZ MMO6Z j BY )6) v v V* l ydnomm Patented Nov. 13,1928.

uiv-i'riiznf STAT as.

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ymanon M. vMoLnimvr, lor, SACRAMENTO, canrroRNIii.`

' ROTARY "ELECTRIC ENGINE.

Application'led'Deceniber 225 1927i Serial No. 241,840. i

y Thisinvention relates toL a rotary electric engine adapted for a variety of usesy'such as running dynamos, 'fan blowersand other machinery, or propelling boats and the like.

The primary object of the present; invention "is to lprovide an improved 'form of rotary electric' engineV having "maximum power and embodying'a pluralityof electric motors arranged to" direct the drive" and l0 revolve with a rotary shaft.'

,A more lsp'ecific'object is to provide an engine of thejabove kind in which the'momentum of 'the' revolving motor is utilized to advantage for ower purposes," and in whicht-he load of riction is minimized by doing away with counter-shaft pulleys5 gear trains, belts and belt tighteners. f

A still vrfurther Objectis to provide ay rotary electric "engine of the abovekind which is yextremely simple and durable-in construction, which .may be readily assembled or taken apart for repair, and which is thorlou hly reliable in operation;`

` tillanotherjobject is' to provide', in an y engine of the above-kind, simple and ketlicientmeans for reversing ,the direction of rotation of the' motors and shafts driveny thereby.` t n y n s The invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.l I

In the drawings, wherein"k likereference ycharacters indicate corresponding I parts a5 `throughout the several views,

tudinal sectionl'partly in side elevatiomand partly broken away, of a non-reversibie {rotary electric engine constructed in accordie .ance'withthe presentinve'ntiong.

Figure :2 is an enlarged tion taken upon line 2-2 dfiviire 1;

Figure 3 is a view similarto Figure 1 of `a modified form of engine in which. means m is provided for` reversing the direction of'4 bearings.`-

rotation -of the motorsand' driven' shafftf "Figure 4y is a section on line 4 4 of Figfufesw t Figure 5 is tion taken on l-ineGf-Gvof Figure 3 @andy n for the shaft of thefmotor shown in Figure a mentary seca vertical transverse section ank takenon line of-Figure 3; v s

' Figure 6 is anenlarged'fragmentary sec-` Ythe uprights 5 kand 6 yand' preferably com# posed-of a pair of sections rigidly bolted l ytogether as at `9 in coaXi'i-lrelation,-thefadL qacentf ends ofthe shaft sections beinglariially recessed to yprovide the enlargement 8 with a chamber 10, and the end-ofene shaft Y section fitting within' lthe -end' of :the other shaft sectionas' shown clearly in Figuresl fand 3. The'chainbered enlarged portion lf8 of one of theA shaft sections is provided with radial openings 10; and rigidlyand detachably bolted as at 11 to the periphery of the enlargement 8 are suitablefcastings or posts 1Q' having radially extendingbores regis- .tered with the openings 10. Thecasing'r 'frame of a rotary-armatureelectric motorl is rigidly and detachably bolted as vat 14 to theouter endof each casting orpost'lQ so lthat the armature shaft of the electric motorie disposed v.radially `to lthe shaft and projects inwardly through and is -journaled in the adjacent post or'easting 12as shown.'

'.Ihe inner rend of each armatnreshaft lpro- -iectsinwardly through the? adjacent opening lOa'in the chamber v1() of the enlargefment`8 of shaft 7, where' .it is provided with a pinionfl. "The inner end portionfofj shaft 7 is provided with an axial Vpassage or bore v16 into which projectsa support ing `rod* 17 that is suitably restrained against rotation and: projectsiinto the chamber 1() ofthe shaft enlargement 8 where it supports a geary track'or wheel'18 :adapted to be YVsuitably held 'against rotation or stationary and withiwhich the pinions v15 that"`are fixed on the armature shafts of theinotor for'retaining' the/poil inthe armature shaft A suitable support 19 1is 'mounted in a stationary position at` one side of the enlargement 8 and carries suitable brushes' 20 and @respectively adapted vto continuously vengage annular collectorfrings or'wheels 2E?, and`23 secured'upon'thefshaft 7 `The re" spective' feed and'return wiresf'24and25 a're'connec't'ed tothe brushes 20 'and`21, and the respective wires' ofthe meters are sinii` larly eonneetedto thev respective collector wheels or rings 22 and 23, as clearly shown. In this way, the current collected from the brushes by the collector rings 22 and 23 is carried to the motors.

In the forni of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the track gear 18 is fixed upon the inner end of the supporting rod 17, and the latter has its outer end slidably keyed as at Q6 in a post 27 supported by a bi'acket Q3 carried by the adjacent support 5. In this way, the rod 17 may be longitudinally adjusted to effect the proper meshing of the gear 1S with the pinions 15 even after wear takes place, the adjustment of the rod 17 being suitably maintained sucli as by means of a set screw Q9 carried by the post 27 and adapted to impinge the. rod 17.

In the construction shown in Figures 3 to 8 inclusive, the track gear 1S is revolubly mounted on the supporting rod 17 at one side of the radial plane intersecting' the armature shafts of the electric motors 13, and a further track gear is similarly mounted on the rod 17 at the` opposite side of said plane so as to mesh with the pinion 15 at the opposite side of the latter from that at which the track gear 13 meshes therewith. In this form of the invention, the hubs of the track gears 13 and 30 are provided at their outer ends witlifemale clutch elements 31 and 32, while male clutch elements 33 and 3% are fixed upon the supporting rod 17 so that by sliding the latter longitudinally either of the clutch elements 33 or 3l maybe engaged with its respective cooperating clutch element 31 or 32. The arrangement is also such that both of the clutch elements 33 and3l may be simultaneously disengaged from the cooperating clutch elements 31 and 32 for allowing both of the track gears 18 and 30 to idle freelyy on the rod 17. Naturally, when clutch element 33 .is engaged with clutch element 31, the track gear .18 will be held stationaryT while the track gear 30 will be permitted to freely revolve on the rod 17, and when clutch element 3d is engaged with clutch clement 3Q, the track gear 30 will be held stationary with iod 17, while the track gear 18 is allowed to fi'eely rotate on said rod 17. In this form of the invention, the set screw 29 is dispensed with and the adjacent projecting end of rod 17 has a lateral lever 35 fixed thereto as shown in Figure 7, said lever having a suitable catch 3G arranged to engage selectively7 in the notches 37 of a rack bar 33 fastened to the lateral projection 39 of post 27 and extending parallel with the rod 17. It'will thus be seen Vthat by releasing the catch 36, the lever-35 may be utilized to slide the supporting rod 17 and effect the desired clutch operation, the catch 36 being allowed to engage in a notch 3.T to hold the rod 17 adjusted in any of the three positions 4referred to above,

namely, where clutch clement 33 is engaged with clutch element 31, where clutch element 34 is engaged with clutch element 32. and where both clutch elements 33 and 34C are disengaged from clutch elements31 and 32. As this form of the invention provides for reverse drive of the shaft 7, it is desirable to have a means for retarding the rotation of shaft 7 and bringing the engine to a standstill when the motors have been 'thrown out of operation so that the desired change of gear may be readily effected without undue delay."4 For this purpose a brake wheely 39 is fixed upon the shaft 7 and an arcuate brake shoe l10 is adapted to be inanually pressed into engagement with the periphery of this brake wheel. The Ybrake shoe '110 is preferably carried by a vertically slidable plunger rod L11 mounted in a hollow post L12 carried by the engine foundation upon which the posts or supports 5, 6 and 19 are mounted. The rod l1 is spring pressed as at 414 to normally release the brake shoe, and the lower end of said rod L10 is engaged by one end of a pivoted lever L15 mounted in a recess 46 of the foundation 113 so that when the other end of the lever is depressed, the brake shoe will be elevated and engaged with the biake wheel. rFlic said other end of lever L15 projects upwardly through the foundation L t3where it provided with a suitable operating pedal L17.

In the preferred construction, the collector wheels 22 and 23 are preferably provided with resilient longitudinally split hubs which are engaged by threaded cone nuts or rings L13 so as to clamp the collector wheels firmly on the shaft 7 to rotate with the latter.

F rom the foregoing description it will be seen that when the current is supplied through wires 21 and 25 it will pass through brushesI 20 and 21 and collector rings 22- and 23 to the motors 13. The armautre shaft of the motor will thereupon revolve `and the pinions carried thereby will be ro tated and caused to travel. around the track gear which is held stationary, said track gear being the single track gear of Figure l or either desired one of the track gears 18 and 30 of Figure As the armature shafts revolve and the piiiions 15 travel around the stationary track gear, the motors 13 andthe shaft 7 are caused to revolve about the axis of the shaft 7. Infeither form of the invention, the power of the invention may be transmitted directly from the shaft 7 by any suitable means.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 3, the motors 13will be caused to bodily revolve with the shaft 7 in one direction when the clutch element 33 is engaged with clutch element 31 to hold the track gear 18 stationary, and a reversed ro lUO tation of the motors and shaft 7 will be effected upon allowing the track gear 18 to run idle on the supporting rod 17 andjclutching the track gear 30 to said rod 17 by engagement of clutch element 34 with clutch element 32. While the formnofr the invention shown in Figure'l is particularly serviceable s for use in running dynamos, 'fan blowers and the like where reverser drive is not essential, the form of the invention shown in Figure 3 may be yutilized to advantage where reverse drivers are desired such as in theA prcpulsion of boats andthe like.

Obviously, various changes may be made in the construction of the engine without departing from Athe s irit and scopevofthe invention as claime For example, while the engines illustrated herein involve only two electricmotors mounted in opposed relation, it is apparent that thenumber ofy motors .used may bereadilyincreased to three or more by arranging the motors in equally spaced relation about the shaft 7 and providing each of them with armature pinions meshing with the track gear or gears. What'I claim as new is s 1. The combinationwith a chamberedk rotary drive shaft, of a stationary track gear in the chamber of said shaft, an electric motor fixed on said shaft with its armature shaft arranged radially to said drive shaft and projecting into the chamber of the latter, a pinion carried by the armature shaft of said motorand rengaged with'said sta-I tionar track gear, and electric connections to sai motor.

2. The combination with a chambered rotary drive shaft, of a lstationary vtrack gear in the chamber of said shaft, an electric motor fixed on said shaft with its armature shaft arranged radially to said drive shaft andprojecting into the chamber of the latter, a pinion carried by the armature shaft of` said motor and engaged with said stationary track gear, electric. connections to said motor, said drive shaft vhaving an axial said motor, said drive shaft having an axial bore, and a stationary supporting rod extending through said bore into said chamber and having the track gear mounted thereon, said drive shaft embodying interfitting coaxial sections having enlarged and recessed connected ends.

Il, The combination with a rotary drive.

shaft, of a pair of spaced circular tracks, electric motors fixed on said drive shaft with their armature shafts radial to the latter, wheels on said armature shafts engaged with said tracks, means to selectively hold either desired track stationary, and electric connections to saidmotors. f

5. The combination with a rotary drive shaft, of a pair of spaced circular tracks, electric motors fixed on said drive shaft with their 'armature shafts radial to the latter, wheels 'on said armature shafts engaged with said tracks, means to selectively hold f either desired track stationary, electric conv nections to said motors, said drive shaft having an axial bore, a non-rotatable supporting rod slidably extending through said bore and on which said tracks are loosely mounted, and cooperating vclutch elements f1' carried by the tracks and supporting rod,

whereby the latter maybe slid to selectively f clutch either desired track thereto and thereby hold said track stationary. s

YIn testimony whereof I affix my signature.

.ERRoL M. MoLLE'rT. 

